John Rankin Junior School, Newbury
John Rankin Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Newbury, part of Maiden Erlegh Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
John Rankin Junior School in detail
Results
John Rankin Junior School has no published results of its own yet. Before it took its current form in 2026, under its previous registration (URN 109825), 66% of its Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 60% in maths in the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments.
Getting a place at John Rankin Junior School
Across West Berkshire, 91% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in West Berkshire lodged 23 appeals against primary school offers; 9 reached a hearing and 3 succeeded (33.3% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to John Rankin Junior School are John Rankin Infant and Nursery School (under 0.1 miles); St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School (0.7 miles, Good); Falkland Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 82% reading, 87% maths); and St Nicolas C.E. Junior School (0.9 miles, Good, 83% reading, 69% maths).
John Rankin Infant and Nursery SchoolSt John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery SchoolFalkland Primary SchoolSt Nicolas C.E. Junior School
The trust
John Rankin Junior School is one of 11 schools run by Maiden Erlegh Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
13.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 12.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 60 pupils (19.3%) received SEN support and 4 (1.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Newbury Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Valley Road Crescent (by), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 96 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Berkshire (26), as is usual near a town centre.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to John Rankin Junior School are St Bartholomew's School (0.4 miles) and Park House School (0.7 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data; GIAS establishment links; DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
John Rankin Junior School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in January 2026. Before that, as John Rankin Junior School (URN 109825), it was rated Good in June 2015.
At a Glance
13.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
25.9
Avg class size
25.9
KS2
12
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
Results at John Rankin Junior School before it took its current form in 2026 (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25Published under the school's previous registration (URN 109825). There are no figures for it in its current form yet, so these are shown separately.
KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 66% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 47% to 60% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 35% to 59% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with John Rankin Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near John Rankin Junior School.
- West Berkshire Mencap570m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to John Rankin Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. John Rankin Junior School is in West Berkshire; for families living there:
Apply to West Berkshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in West Berkshire is 3 (the median across 99 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
86%
Available places
311 pupils
360 places
49 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Newbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newbury
Across West Berkshire council
Places available
2,024
Applications
1,547
Got 1st preference
90.8%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across West Berkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
60
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
20.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
311
Total Pupils
144
Boys
167
Girls
2026 academic year
Absence at John Rankin Junior School before it took its current form in 20262024/25
Published under the school's previous registration (URN 109825). There are no figures for it in its current form yet, so these are shown separately.
5.2%
Overall absence
9.8%
Persistent absence
357
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
John Rankin Junior School
Questions parents ask about John Rankin Junior School
Are there exam results for John Rankin Junior School?
John Rankin Junior School has no published results of its own yet. Before it took its current form in 2026, under its previous registration (URN 109825), 66% of its Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 60% in maths in the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments.
What is John Rankin Junior School's Ofsted rating?
John Rankin Junior School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in January 2026. Before that, as John Rankin Junior School (URN 109825), it was rated Good in June 2015.
What is the catchment area for John Rankin Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When John Rankin Junior School is oversubscribed, West Berkshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How big are the classes at John Rankin Junior School?
Classes at John Rankin Junior School average 25.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to John Rankin Junior School?
John Rankin Junior School has around 311 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to John Rankin Junior School?
Apply through West Berkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming John Rankin Junior School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does John Rankin Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of John Rankin Junior School: West Berkshire Mencap (570m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near John Rankin Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in West Berkshire is 3 (the median across 99 schools, same distance and years).
Where is John Rankin Junior School?
John Rankin Junior School is at Henshaw Crescent, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 6ES.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)